The latest facility for Taranaki skateboarders starts construction at East End Reserve on Wednesday (3 November).

The 260m2 skate bowl will be about a quarter the size of the adjacent skatepark and will have varying degrees of difficulty to suit skateboarders’ experience.

“This addition will give young people the chance to increase their skills, and it will provide more space at a facility that is very popular – especially with summer just around the corner,” says Manager Parks Mark Bruhn.

The skate bowl was approved following a submission by East End Skatepark Club to the Draft Budget 2010/11 earlier this year.

Club President Mark Samuels says the skate bowl meets the changing nature of the sport.

“The previous generation of skaters were happy with street skating, which the skatepark provides, but the younger generation want street skating and to ride bowls as well,” says Mr Samuels.

“The skatepark is way too popular for its own good. The skate bowl will give more room to rollerskaters, rollerbladers and skateboarders.”

The skate bowl will take about five weeks to construct.

Mr Bruhn says work may continue into the early evening, depending on the progress of concreting during the day. “I don’t expect that to be the norm though.”

The skate bowl will sit above the ground as, given the site’s past as a swamp, digging into the soil is impractical. Nearby vegetation screens the skate bowl from most of the houses surrounding the reserve.